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92.1 Q FM

D

dmer

Well we have it. A new 80's/90's AC station. It's an AC station but not quite like Magic and definitely different from EZ 103. It reminds me a little of the River one decade into the future. They share the 80's but Q extends greatly into the 90's.

I'm not sure if I'll like this station or not. I usually give a new station a little time before making any judgments. Will they have dj's, news, etc like other stations or will they by jockless. These are some things we have to find out first. I was a huge fan of the Buzz because I grew up in the 80's and a like the River because I love the 70's and 80's. However I was never a fan of the 90's. (Man I miss the River working downtown).

I'd like a decades format station to play some lost songs from the era it covers. Songs that make you go, "Gee I haven't heard that song for 10 years." Otherwise they will be just a variation of Magic 93 or Y106.5. And if they do that then you will see a new station gracing 92.1 next year at this time.
 
I woke up wanting to hate it, but after 1.5 hours I find I like it. I also grew up listing to the 70’s and 80’s however I also liked the 90’s. I must admit I hope they get some talent on the air ASAP. I find the “Family Friendly” slogan to be interesting. If they actually stick to it I believe people with kids will listen as it is a safe place for music.
 
I see this station doing quite well....better than The River and here's why.
*They have the built-in audience wanting to hear the new format after the
Christmas Stunt. They will most likely like it and stay (except for those
Oldies enthusiasts). Because of this they will also get word-of-mouth.
*They have the reach into Luzerne County that WWRR does not. DMER will be able
to hear them at work and I will be able to get them at my house.
*More people know about them already than know about The River. You would
not believe the amount of people I have told about The River in the last few
weeks. Remember, those of us who aren't radio enthusiasts neither know nor
care about these frequencies. You have to hook them. Anyway, to get back
on track I have already heard a buzz on the street about QFM from the
general populace.
Of course it all comes down to presentation and promotion. If you want to be a contender you have to promote yourself shamelessly. Who spends the most money on promotion??? Froggy, Rock 107 & Magic 93. Who is consistently on top?
Froggy, Rock 107 and Magic 93. Granted, some of this is due to gerat signals and (in the case of Froggy and Rock 107) frequency sharing. You may not agree, but you can't argue with the facts.
 
JAFO says: "I have already heard a buzz on the street about QFM from the
general populace"

Wow only a few hours on the air and there is a buzz on the street from the general populace. Maybe on the corner of Penn and Spruce in downtown Scranton.
Also they have a built in audience to continue the format? Yeah. Most people who can't get enough of Burl Ives and Robert Goulet are just dying to hear EMF's Unbelieveable and C&C Music Factory? I would say most are not. Secondly, (and More Importantly) If I DO want to hear all this great music. I'm jammin along and then suddenly WHAM! Penguins hockey?? That's one of the things that killed 104.9 the music station...gerat music stopped dead with Red Barons Baseball. Bye Bye. I'm gone...over to Magic, KRZ, etc...
 
> JAFO says: "I have already heard a buzz on the street about> QFM from the > general populace"> > Wow only a few hours on the air and there is a buzz on the> street from the general populace. Maybe on the corner of> Penn and Spruce in downtown Scranton.> Also they have a built in audience to continue the format? > Yeah. Most people who can't get enough of Burl Ives and> Robert Goulet are just dying to hear EMF's Unbelieveable and> C&C Music Factory? I would say most are not. Secondly,> (and More Importantly) If I DO want to hear all this great> music. I'm jammin along and then suddenly WHAM! Penguins> hockey?? That's one of the things that killed 104.9 the> music station...gerat music stopped dead with Red Barons> Baseball. Bye Bye. I'm gone...over to Magic, KRZ, etc...> I wasn't impressed with it. Sounds like WDNH, who by the way suddenly has a translator at 96.1....(don't know where it is; total surprise to me).I won't do a rant here, but here is my opinion: WNAK-AM was nearly always #3 and never had the staff it took to make the sales. Since NAK-FM has gone more mainstream, I would have experimented with standards, and rock oldies that pretend they are standards, coming off a 6 week stunt with Christmas music....nothing to loose. Most of us comment that the audience is there and most of us think the sales are there; we know the numbers are there for the time being:Q-FM is just another clone of the class A's that couldn't make it between Scranton and WB...with a translator in Forrest City...IF the kids want a radio station, Radio Disney is, at least for now, pretty loud on 1560........The idea of taking any clear frequency here and putting on a translator is a shame unless the business can make it work....in one stopset this afternoon on QFM, the first two commercials (of 4) were for Honesdale businesses...so apparently QFM is marketing aggressively in Honesdale/Hawley....there is virtually no advertising on the Honesdale Cluster for Scranton at all......but QFM is now a very good imitation of WDNH without the air-personalities....WYCY Sunny 105, however will benefit from it's translator, and may grow the business because there is no other FM oldies station in the region; and the YCY format went deeper and wider than the QFM oldies format did as well...WICK should listen closely to the 1590am format (Bob worked there but before this format) and draw conclusions from that while it is tweaked....lets see if that works......meanwhile if you like Christmas music, you can still hear it on 1440 WCDL (a classic country station) and WPEL from Montrose.<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]</P>
 
License to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations. Man, free to kill gophers at will. To kill, you must know your enemy, and in this case my enemy is a varmint. And a varmint will never quit - ever. They're like the Viet Cong - Varmint Cong. So you have to fall back on superior intelligence and superior firepower. And that's all she wrote.
 
> JAFO says: "I have already heard a buzz on the street about
> QFM from the
> general populace"
>
> Wow only a few hours on the air and there is a buzz on the
> street from the general populace. Maybe on the corner of
> Penn and Spruce in downtown Scranton.

I stand by my statement. At least 15 people questioned me about it while I was at the Wyoming Valley Mall and Wal-Mart in W-B Township today. Of course they may just be questioning me because they know I am a radio enthusiast but still---that's a good number of people. And, JEEZ--how do you think they knew about it?????????????? Maybe they had the station on in their car listening to the Christmas favorites and just didn't change the station over the weekend....step in the car this morning and WHAMMO!

> Secondly,
> (and More Importantly) If I DO want to hear all this great
> music. I'm jammin along and then suddenly WHAM! Penguins
> hockey?? That's one of the things that killed 104.9 the
> music station...great music stopped dead with Red Barons
> Baseball. Bye Bye. I'm gone.

On this point I DO agree. The 25-35 year old women they are obviously going for are NOT going to tolerate Penguins Hockey---unless they're one of the hundreds you see at every hockey game.
 
> License to kill gophers by the government of the United
> Nations. Man, free to kill gophers at will. To kill, you
> must know your enemy, and in this case my enemy is a
> varmint. And a varmint will never quit - ever. They're like
> the Viet Cong - Varmint Cong. So you have to fall back on
> superior intelligence and superior firepower. And that's all
> she wrote.

Doug smokin' some good s _ _ t tonight.

I listened to 92.1 on and off for a few hours today. I'm not in the female demo. I liked what I heard. But I have to agree, hockey is a joke and a mistake and will shoot whatever the grandiose plan to capture the 25-49 female listener is right in the foot. Hockey on this station speaks to the commitment management is making. (See: Smoke and Mirrors Department/Shamrock Communications)
 
> I listened to 92.1 on and off for a few hours today. I'm not
> in the female demo. I liked what I heard. But I have to
> agree, hockey is a joke and a mistake and will shoot
> whatever the grandiose plan to capture the 25-49 female
> listener is right in the foot. Hockey on this station speaks
> to the commitment management is making. (See: Smoke and
> Mirrors Department/Shamrock Communications)
>


I listened today as I drove through the Wilkes-Barre and Berwick areas (by the way it comes in good in berwick). I kind if like it, kind of don't. I won't force a long winded opinion on anyone but did want to make a quick comment on the penguins issue. Shamrock may have a contract with the team, I don't know how easy it would be to get out of, but they could be stuck...or something...or I'm an idiot...maybe both
 
make a quick comment on
> the penguins issue. Shamrock may have a contract with the
> team, I don't know how easy it would be to get out of, but
> they could be stuck...or something...or I'm an idiot...maybe
> both
>


I agree here. Shamrock may be committed by a contract and may not have a choice. If Penguins become a problems hear they may not renew but they may have to honor the rest of whatever contract they have until it is up.

So far I like it and don't like it if that makes sense. I like the idea that they play music for when I grew up. Those of use who were born in the 70's and grew up in the 80's always seem to get screwed. I also am interested to see how their adjustable format goes (upbeat during the workday and softer at night). I like to withold a final opinion to see how they do over the next couple of weeks. But again to survive with a decades style format you have to play some of those lost hits of those decades along with the big hits. We'll see.
 
> I agree here. Shamrock may be committed by a contract and
> may not have a choice. If Penguins become a problems hear
> they may not renew but they may have to honor the rest of
> whatever contract they have until it is up.

The powers that be at Shamrock know one thing to be true and they will tell you this. MORE people tune in to listen to the Penguins than tune out because of the game. I was told this and after some observation I have found it to be plausible. Go to a hockey game and you will see about a third of the crowd wearing ear buds listening to the game. Including a great deal of 25-45 year old females. This in itself is not unusual. What is unusual is the fact that people take their radios with them to restaurants and bars to listen to the hockey game. I have seen this. I also have seen people listening while shopping at the grocery store and at Wal-Mart. I have been in convenience stores that have had the game on. Shamrock knows this and is not about to give up their contract. Having said that, this is the perfect opportunity to push the new format with promos run during the game. I have not heard this done yet. In fact the opening still says "Penguins Hockey on Oldies 92 & 100"
 
Yeah, hockey's real popular. Especially minor league hockey. Jeez, too bad there's not a hockey format.

You offered a lot of anecdotal "evidence". My anecdotal evidence tells me that everyone who gives a rat's derriere about Penguins hockey is at the game.

I know there must still be some kind of contract. I think hockey on a station that is touting itself as "for moms, families, safe for kids" etc., hockey is way out of place and won't be doing the new format any good.
 
> Yeah, hockey's real popular. Especially minor league hockey.
> Jeez, too bad there's not a hockey format.
>
> You offered a lot of anecdotal "evidence". My anecdotal
> evidence tells me that everyone who gives a rat's derriere
> about Penguins hockey is at the game.
>
> I know there must still be some kind of contract. I think
> hockey on a station that is touting itself as "for moms,
> families, safe for kids" etc., hockey is way out of place
> and won't be doing the new format any good.
>
Can't the Hockey go on 107?
 
> Can't the Hockey go on 107?

Won't happen. I know this is a word that belongs nowhere near radio, but such as it is, 107 has a certain integrity to what it is they do.

I can see an incongruity there though, between 107 and QFM. They're on the same floor under the same roof, and no one under that roof would dare even suggest putting hockey on 107 while it's perfectly fine for this new station? At best they're diluting the product.
 
> Yeah, hockey's real popular. Especially minor league hockey.
> Jeez, too bad there's not a hockey format.
>
> You offered a lot of anecdotal "evidence". My anecdotal
> evidence tells me that everyone who gives a rat's derriere
> about Penguins hockey is at the game.
>

My suggestion to you would be to get out into the world and interact with other human beings.
 
Why wouldn't they (the powers that be at Shamrock) put the hockey on their two (2) AM sports stations? WEJL 630 & WBAX 1240, serving both Scranton & Wilkes Barre could do the FM's a service by putting the Penguins on.

Just because it wouldn't be on Q 92 & 100 or even Rock 107, doesn't mean that it would take away from the popularity of how well Penguins hockey do on the radio.

Unless the signals of either station is very minimal at night, should not prohibit people from tuning in to hockey on 630 & 1240. Most people listen to high school, college and even professional sports on AM already. YES... some stations air sports on FM. However, when they already have a sports formatted station; why not air the hockey on those stations.
 
Having said that, this is
> the perfect opportunity to push the new format with promos
> run during the game. I have not heard this done yet. In
> fact the opening still says "Penguins Hockey on Oldies 92 &
> 100"
>
One of the places Shamrock falls down on big time is the
imaging of its minor players. While great detail is paid
to Rock 107, 92.1FM and ESPN Radio suffer in comparison. So
it is not a surprise that they are still having Oldies 92
on the intro to the hockey. ESPN is even worse with promos
that never, ever change. "There's McNamera with the head
bob, you know he's feeling it". Or the spot for Katrina
Hurricane relief which touts an NBC TV special "this Sunday
night at 8PM on NBC". That thing has been running since
September.
yonkstur
 
> Yeah, hockey's real popular. Especially minor league hockey.
> Jeez, too bad there's not a hockey format.

Minor league hockey is more popular than minor league
baseball. And if there were a hockey station, it would
do well.
>
> You offered a lot of anecdotal "evidence". My anecdotal
> evidence tells me that everyone who gives a rat's derriere
> about Penguins hockey is at the game.

Here's my anecdotal evidence. In both my wife's workplace
and mine, they offer "Hockey Night" at the Arena. The
coordinator is a crazed female hockey fan. The majority of
workers who go are women, percentage ratio 75/25. And all
of them have their walkmans under their cute little headbands.
I can't imagine they're listening to Magic seventies at 7.
>
> I know there must still be some kind of contract. I think
> hockey on a station that is touting itself as "for moms,
> families, safe for kids" etc., hockey is way out of place
> and won't be doing the new format any good.
>
I disagree totally. Moms, families and the kids are the
people who fill up that arena for the hockey games. The
Red Barons should be so lucky. The format and the hockey
are a good fit.

Yonkstur
 
> Why wouldn't they (the powers that be at Shamrock) put the
> hockey on their two (2) AM sports stations? WEJL 630 & WBAX
> 1240, serving both Scranton & Wilkes Barre could do the FM's
> a service by putting the Penguins on.
>
> Just because it wouldn't be on Q 92 & 100 or even Rock 107,
> doesn't mean that it would take away from the popularity of
> how well Penguins hockey do on the radio.
>
> Unless the signals of either station is very minimal at
> night, should not prohibit people from tuning in to hockey
> on 630 & 1240. Most people listen to high school, college
> and even professional sports on AM already. YES... some
> stations air sports on FM. However, when they already have a
> sports formatted station; why not air the hockey on those
> stations.
>

Locked into Syracuse hoops, probably. After McNamara leaves the AM's should be open for hockey
 
> > Why wouldn't they (the powers that be at Shamrock) put the
>
> > hockey on their two (2) AM sports stations? WEJL 630 &
> WBAX
> > 1240, serving both Scranton & Wilkes Barre could do the
> FM's
> > a service by putting the Penguins on.
> >
> > Just because it wouldn't be on Q 92 & 100 or even Rock
> 107,
> > doesn't mean that it would take away from the popularity
> of
> > how well Penguins hockey do on the radio.
> >
> > Unless the signals of either station is very minimal at
> > night, should not prohibit people from tuning in to hockey
>
> > on 630 & 1240. Most people listen to high school, college
> > and even professional sports on AM already. YES... some
> > stations air sports on FM. However, when they already have
> a
> > sports formatted station; why not air the hockey on those
> > stations.
> >
>
> Locked into Syracuse hoops, probably. After McNamara leaves
> the AM's should be open for hockey
>

There would be a lot of overlap with the Phillies.
 
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